After being traded by the Buffalo Bills, Stefon Diggs will be joined by another familiar face in Houston.

On July 8, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reported on X that former Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes had re-signed with the Houston Texans. Hughes had spent the previous two years in Houston following nine seasons with the Bills, where he was one of the organization’s longest-tenured members and a cornerstone of a defense that ended Buffalo’s 17-year playoff drought and elevated the franchise to perennial Super Bowl contender status.

Hughes will now return to his hometown team for his 15th season in the NFL.

Jerry Hughes Returns

Hughes made a significant impact in Houston during his rookie season, earning 9.0 sacks and 35 total tackles in 2022, but featured in only two games in 2023. As Coty M. Davis of SI.com pointed out, Hughes’ return to Houston may provide a significant boost to an already formidable position group.

“With the addition of Hughes, the defensive line could be the Texans’ top position group entering training camp,” according to Davis. “They signed Danielle Hunter, one of the league’s top free agents. The Texans also signed Danico Autry and Folorunso Fatukasi to play alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Will Anderson Jr.

Hughes’ return means he will once again play alongside Diggs, his Bills teammate for two seasons. The Bills traded Diggs to Houston earlier this spring, a move that general manager Brandon Beane described as a “difficult” decision to address the team’s lack of salary cap room.

“In this seat, you may need to make difficult decisions…” This is not taken lightly… “It was not easy,” Beane stated. “However, it was after much thought, discussion, and conversations at the highest levels of our business. It was made in the best interests of the Bills.”

The Bills have spent the past two seasons attempting to replace Hughes’ pass-rushing production. Though defensive ends A.J. Epenesa and Gregory Rousseau have improved during that time, the Bills still lack the production that Hughes provided from the edge.

The Bills attempted to fill Hughes’ void by signing veteran Von Miller, but he has battled to recover from a ruptured ACL sustained in a Thanksgiving Day win in 2022. Miller had his worst statistical season in 2023, recording no sacks and only three total tackles in 12 games.